Cousin Heather Comes to Town
by mojoman3061
Summary: Lizzie's cousin Heather's coming to town the summer after 7th grade. Lizzie has promised to get her to go out with Gordo in return for Gordo helping with Fright Night. Chapter 6--They're on their date!
1. Chapter 1

"_My cousin Heather's coming into town again this summer, and I'm going to get her to go out with you," Lizzie said with the smirk of someone who knew she had the upper hand._

"_Quit your yappin'! We've got work to do!" Gordo said urgently._

So the exchange had gone in October of their 7th grade year. Fright Night, Hillridge Middle School's Halloween carnival, was coming up. Kate--who else?--was in charge. Lizzie wanted to dress as the Vampire Mistress in the Dungeon of Terror, the vampire hottie, and she knew she'd have to beg Kate at the very least. Kate agreed to allow her to do it, on condition that she clean out the janitor's utility room. Lizzie got Gordo to help her. Kate ended up keeping Vampira for herself anyway.

--

Heather arrived for a week's visit. Lizzie, true to her word, had sketched the situation for Heather before she came. She had also let Miranda in on it, as Miranda hadn't been there when Lizzie convinced Gordo in October.

The three girls were in Lizzie's room, hanging out and renewing acquaintances.

"So you're sure this is OK with you?" Miranda asked.

"Sure I'm sure," Heather replied. "I liked hanging out with you guys last summer."

"Well, we'll have to show you the Digital Bean. A lot of middle school kids hang out there after school," said Lizzie.

"It's really cool, with booths and comfy couches and stuff like on _Friends_," Miranda said, the animation in her voice matched in her face. "They make really great smoothies, too."

"Cool. I like smoothies."


	2. Chapter 2

_Earlier ..._

"So, Heather, I'm looking forward to you visiting this summer."

"So am I. Last summer was fun. I liked your friends."

"Well, do you remember Gordo?"

"Your really smart guy friend with the camcorder?"

"That's him." Lizzie grinned.

"He was kinda cute. What about him?"

"Well, he's got a crush on you. For the Halloween carnival at school, I asked him to help me out with something. This girl who was the head of the dance committee--or whatever it's called--asked me to do it. Because it was her, Gordo didn't want to at first. When I told him you'd be coming this summer and I'd get you to go out with him, he couldn't wait to get started."

"So you're asking me if I'll go out with him?"

"Uh-huh. Will you?"

"Sure, why not? He seemed pretty cool and nice."

"Coolie. I'll tell him at school. Thanks, Heather."

--

"Hey, McG."

"Hey, Gordo." Lizzie closed her locker door. "Gordo! Good news!"

"Did you talk to Heather?"

"Uh-huh. She said, 'Sure, why not?'"

"Great! Thanks, Lizzie." Because Gordo had a couple of schoolbooks in one hand, he put his other hand on Lizzie's shoulder in a kind of half-hug. "Gotto go. See ya later!" he said, heading off to class.

"Gordo looks happy," Miranda observed as she walked up to Lizzie, still at her locker.

"Heather's going to go out with him this summer."

"Really?" Miranda was glad to hear this.

"Uh-huh. I talked to her last night. I told her about Fright Night and how he helped me with the utility room when I told him I'd get her to go out with him, and she said yes."

"Aww." The romantic in Miranda couldn't help but smile. "He got such a crush on her."

"He totally did," Lizzie said, giggling a bit.


	3. Chapter 3

The phone rang. Lizzie answered it with her usual, pleasant "Hello?"

"Hey, it's me."

"Gordo! I was just about to call you. Heather's here, and I thought we could all go to the Digital Bean tomorrow."

"Sure, fine with me. You, me, Heather, and Miranda, right?"

"Right. Meet us at my place and we'll go together."

"All systems go."

--

Gordo walked to Lizzie's, grateful for the gentle breeze that kept the air from feeling heavy. The sun was out and there wasn't a cloud in the sky. He wore shorts, a T-shirt, and tennis shoes. Even though it was a five-minute walk, he didn't want to be too sweaty when he got there.

Two blond girls answered the door. Both wore cutoffs and tank tops and were barefoot. There was a family resemblance between them, although they'd never be mistaken for each other.

Heather, who was about a step behind Lizzie at the door, had slightly darker hair than her cousin. It was down to about mid-torso, long enough to bring out a natural wave. She parted it in the middle.

Lizzie had let her hair grow from just below the shoulders to armpit length in 7th grade. Her bangs were trimmed at her eyebrows. While the cousins were fair-skinned, Heather was a little darker than Lizzie.

"Hey, Gordo! You remember my cousin Heather. And Heather, you remember Gordo," Lizzie said, her head turning back and forth from one person to another. Gordo and Heather smiled shyly and said hello with a little wave.

"Is Miranda here?" Gordo asked.

"Yeah, I think she's in the bathroom. Come on in while Heather and I get our shoes on."

By "shoes" Lizzie meant the flip-flops a few steps from the door. By the time Lizzie and Heather were finished, Miranda was walking through the living room in flip-flops and what looked like a Hillridge Middle School PE uniform: shorts and a blue T-shirt.

"Oh, good, you're here," Miranda said when she saw Gordo. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Speaking for myself, I am," said Gordo.

"Mom!" Lizzie yelled towards the kitchen. "We're off to show Heather the Digital Bean."

"Okay! Have fun and don't stay out too long!"

"We won't!"

The Digital Bean was within walking distance of the McGuire house. The Three Amigos and their guest strolled along, enjoying the pleasant summer afternoon and each other's company. A couple of Lizzie's neighbors said hello to her and were introduced to Heather.

"Ah, here we are," Lizzie said as the Digital Bean cam into view.

"It's usually busier-looking during the school year," Miranda said. "I hope we can get a couch."

"After you, ladies," Gordo said as he held the door for the girls. As they went inside, Lizzie and Miranda shared raised eyebrows, too subtly for Gordo to notice, and all three girls smiled and chuckled slightly at Gordo's chivalry.

As Miranda had guessed, the place wasn't as busy as it usually was when they went there after school. "There's your couch, Miranda," Lizzie said.

"Let's all go up and order. Heather's never been here, so she's never seen the menu," Gordo said. He'd noticed Heather's head turning from side to side as she looked the place over. It was an impressive place, with asymmetrical tables, a row of computers, and poles with signs for such cities as Venice, Dublin, New York, Yankton, and Omaha.

After Miranda ordered, she turned to the others. "I'll go grab that couch before someone else does," she said as she walked away from the counter.

Miranda had staked out a couch with an overstuffed armchair on each side. She took one chair and Lizzie took the other. Heather and Gordo, being the last to order, were the last to get to where they were all sitting. They took the couch. Gordo knew it wasn't wide enough for all four of them, so he didn't scrunch up close to Heather.

"God ahead, Heather. Put your feet up, get comfy," Miranda said, lounging sideways in her chair, her feet dangling over one side.

"I don't want to do anything to this glass table, so I'll use this cushion thing," Heather said, moving a footrest into place and stretching her legs out, crossing them at the ankles. "This is a cool hangout. I like the signs for the cities."

"They change them from time to time," Lizzie said.

"Yeah. Where's Hinkley?" Gordo said, looking around.

Everyone laughed. "It sounds like he's kidding, but if Gordo says 'Where's Hinkley,' there's a sign for it," Miranda explained.

After a few minutes of talk about how cool the Digital Bean was, Lizzie and Miranda's orders were ready. "Miranda, let's go," Lizzie said.

"Both of us?"

"Sure. We'll wait for Heather's and Gordo's and bring them all at the same time."

"Oh! Good idea!" Miranda said, getting out of her chair. "We'll be back in a sec," she said as she and Lizzie walked off.

"So, is there really a Hinkley?" Heather asked Gordo.

"Yes, there really is a Hinkley. A sign for Hinkley anyway. It sounds like it should be in North Dakota or somewhere," Gordo said. "I've never looked it up or anything."

"Well, maybe we can do that when we go out," Heather said, smiling.

"When should we do that, by the way?"

"Mm. It'll have to be tomorrow, 'cause our last day here is the day after tomorrow, and Uncle Sam and Aunt Jo want to do something with us."

"A big family thing? Sure, I understand. Is tomorrow afternoon okay?"

"Yeah, it should be," Heather said.

"Great! See you then," Gordo said as they gave each other a hug.

"Aww." Gordo and Heather heard Miranda's voice and turned to see her and Lizzie, standing there with smoothies in their hands and big grins on their faces.


	4. Chapter 4

"Are we interrupting anything?" Lizzie asked.

"No. Um, not—not really," Gordo replied.

"Gordo and I are going out tomorrow afternoon," Heather said.

"Oh, right, you hadn't figured out what day yet, " Miranda said.

"That's great, you guys!" Lizzie said. "Now let's dig into these smoothies."

--

On the walk back to Lizzie's …

"So, Gordo, you're picking me up at Lizzie's, right?" Heather asked.

"Sure, sounds good."

"Is casual okay? Nothing fancier than what we'd wear to school?"

"Oh, yeah. Glad you thought of it," Gordo said.

Heather turned to say something to Lizzie, and Gordo furrowed his brow slightly. Miranda noticed and made a mental note to talk to Gordo later, when the others weren't around.

On arrival at Lizzie's, Miranda was told that her parents were on their way to pick her up. "Oh, they'll be here any minute then," she said. "Heather, if I don't see you again, it's been cool hangin' with ya." She said her goodbyes, complete with hugs.

"Come and wait with me, keep me company 'til they get here," Miranda said to Gordo.

"My folks are expecting me for dinner, so I should go in a minute anyway," Gordo said.

A few steps from the door, Miranda said, "You seemed kind of fidgety on the way home. Everything okay?"

Gordo knew better than to try to fool her. "Not really. Heather asking about what to wear kind of threw me."

"Hmm. I saw your face kind of do this"—Miranda mimicked Gordo's furrowing his brow—"and I thought it was something like that."

"I didn't even think about it until she asked," Gordo said, his jaw tightening the way it did when he was upset with himself.

"It's okay. I'll be your life coach—again," Miranda said, with a little smirk after a pause.

"'Bowling will not make my fingers swell,'" Gordo said, quoting from a phrase Miranda had given him to help him with the stress of bowling.

"Excellent!" Miranda said, patting him on the head. "Now, about this date. It's summer, and nobody dresses up in the summer."

"Well, I wasn't going to wear my Rat Pack suit."

"Good. You're not as far gone as I was afraid of. So, anyway, you don't even have to wear long pants. I bet she won't."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. She'll want to look nice, though. What you and I are wearing right now is fine for best buds hangin'. For your date, you'll want to step it up just a taste," Miranda said.

"Like maybe a rugby shirt instead of a T-shirt?"

"Yeah, not bad. You've got the idea. Neat, clean, presentable, the whole bit."

"Presentable. I can do presentable. Thanks, Miranda." Gordo smiled appreciatively.

"You're welcome." She returned his smile. "Got your back. This was easier than the other time I was your life coach."

Yeah, no Phase 2 or cookies."

They shared a friendly chuckle at the memory, then Miranda recognized the car slowing down as it approached the McGuire house. "Oh, there's my mom. Bye, Gordo! Call me tomorrow if you need to!"

--

Miranda, in her living room, had just started to look through the latest Teen Attitude magazine—the "Hottest Hotties" issue—when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Miranda, it's me."

"Oh! Hey, Gordo, what's up?" The ringing of the phone had startled her, and Gordo's voice sounded tense.

"Well, it's my hair."

"What about your hair?"

"I don't know what to do with it."

"H-have you done anything with it?"

"No. I didn't know if I needed to use mousse or—"

"NO! I mean, no, you don't need mousse. Uh-uh."

"Uh, okay," Gordo said, not sure what to make of Miranda's agitated tone. "I just didn't know if I should try to slick it down or something."

"No, just wash it, blow-dry it, and brush it. If you slick it down, you'll look like a gangster on Hallowe'en."

"Ohh," Gordo said, trying to process Miranda's comment. "Okay. Presentable."

"Right. Wait—you weren't thinking of makeup, were you?"

"No! Yikes!"

"Oh, good. Juuust checking," Miranda said, her relief evident in her voice. "So, is there anything else you need me for?"

"No, I think I'm okay now. Thanks, and wish me luck."

"Good luck! And Gordo, she's the lucky one," Miranda said sincerely.


	5. Chapter 5

"Nice one, Gordo," Gordo muttered to himself after his phone call with Miranda. "Mousse? Makeup? Get a grip." His hair could look bushy and unkempt if he went too long between haircuts. It was selectively curly, and he had to be careful with the way it dried. Miranda was right. He'd blow-dry it a little, let it air-dry a little, and keep an eye on it.

--

In Lizzie's room, she and Heather worked out a few details of what Heather would wear. It didn't take long, as Heather ended up not borrowing anything from Lizzie.

"Hey, Liz, thanks for the fashion advice," Heather said.

"You're welcome. Not that you really needed any. You know what looks good on you," Lizzie replied.

"Thanks, but it's always good to have a second opinion."

--

It had been arranged that Gordo's parents would drive them to the Digital Bean, and Lizzie's parents would bring them home.

"Do both of you have to come?" Gordo asked, trying to keep his voice from taking on a whining sound.

"We just want to meet Lizzie's cousin," Howard Gordon said.

"Don't worry, son. I won't bring out your baby pictures. We won't even get out of the car," Roberta Gordon said.

"Okay, Mom."

--

In the car, Gordo stole a glance at the rear-view mirror. Good! His hair was keeping its shape. He'd settled on a rugby shirt with black and olive green horizontal stripes, khaki shorts, and his best dark-colored tennis shoes. He looked pretty good, even if he did say so himself.

It seemed as if the Gordons' car had barely left its driveway when it turned into the McGuires'. Gordo usually walked to Lizzie's, which took about five minutes. By car it was faster than he realized. He closed his eyes, as he often did when he felt a bit agitated. After exhaling through his mouth a couple of times, he felt more calm. "You can do this," he said silently to himself. "You did it with Brooke Baker. And Heather's leaving in a couple of days. She doesn't even live here."

"Uh, David?"

His father's voice, even though it was soft, had something that cut nito Gordo's reverie and got his attention.

"Right, right, we're here, I know," Gordo said, thankful that he was in a Honda Accord rather than an SUV. If he fell getting out of the car, it wasn't as far to the street as it would be in an SUV.

--

There's the doorbell. Why don't you answer it, Heather? I'm sure that must be Gordo."

"No, Daddy, I want to make an entrance."

"I'll get it, sweetheart," Jo McGuire said to her niece. "Your Uncle Sam doesn't always get it either," she said in a stage whisper, with a big smile to show she was teasing.

"Hey, Gordo," Jo said as she opened the door. "Come on in. Heather's putting on the finishing touches and she'll be right out. These are Heather's parents, George and Ann Paris."

"I'm Mrs. McGuire's sister," Ann said. "I'm glad to meet you."

"We've been hearing a lot about you," George said. "Heather's Uncle Sam and Aunt Jo tell us you're a great kid."

Gordo shook hands with each of Heather's parents. "Th-thanks," he said, a little nervous with all these adults.

"Heather! Gordo's here!"

"Thanks, Uncle Sam!"

Heather Paris—what a cool name, Gordo thought—walked into the room. She wore a scoop-neck shirt that had three shades of purple in a pattern. Gordo wasn't sure if it was tie-dyed or camouflage. She also wore a necklace with a Siamese cat, a blue denim skirt, and dark-colored flip-flops. The flip-flops were dressier than normal—were they leather?—but still looked casually comfy. A section of hair was held in place with a clip high on the back of her head. The rest of her hair framed her face in a way that Gordo thought would look good on Lizzie.

They exchanged shy hellos and you-look-nices. Gordo put an arm around her waist, and she did the same around his. Neither one was bold enough to try a two-arm hug in front of the adults.

"Well, we should go, I guess. My parents are waiting in the car."

"Okay. You two have fun!" Mrs. Paris said, hugging her daughter. "You've got a cell phone and the number here, right?"

"Right, Mom."


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's Note: Thanks for staying with this story for so long! For those who are interested, Heather's purple shirt was worn by Lizzie in the "Gordo's Video" episode (where Kate's true age is revealed), and her hairstyle is what Lizzie wore in "Inner Beauty" with the Red Cross tanktop when Miranda collapsed. I don't think I described it particularly well, so I'm open to suggestions. I had a process for coming up with Heather's last name and her parents' first names; if anyone's interested, I'll put it in another A/N._

_Now, back to their date!_

--

"Well, that was painless," Heather said, a few steps from the house.

"Pretty much. I was introduced to your parents before you came out."

"Oh. Did they give you the third degree?"

"No, not really. They told me that your Uncle Sam and Aunt Jo think I'm a great kid."

"I never know what to think when somebody says that," Heather said.

"Tell me about it."

By this time they were at the car. Gordo opened the door for her, which earned him a smile and a thank-you. He went around the car and got in on the other side, just in time to see his parents turned around to shake hands with Heather.

"So you're Lizzie's cousin!" Mrs. Gordon said. "I can see a family resemblance. Both of you are very pretty girls."

"Thank you, ma'am. We live in Washington State, so I don't get to see my Hillridge relatives that often. I've had fun this week."

Mr. Gordon backed out of the driveway after he saw Gordo fasten his seat belt, which interrupted the conversation for a moment.

"David and Lizzie have been friends for a long time," Mrs. Gordon said.

"I know. Lizzie told me she's known Gordo since she was one day old."

The conversation continued, with the adults asking Heather how long she'd be in town and other getting-to-know-her questions. None was particularly prying, but Gordo was afraid they'd say something embarrassing without warning. Heather was friendly and polite, and Gordo admired her for it.

When they arrived at the Digital Bean, Gordo opened Heather's door for her ("No, stay put, I'll get that"). His parents noticed, as parents tend to do, and smiled in approval.

Heather sped up a few steps from the Digital Bean, so she could be in position to open the door for Gordo.

"You don't have to do that," Gordo said.

"It's okay. I want to. It's my turn."

After thanking her for holding the door, Gordo found himself tongue-tied for a minute as they waited in line to order. So did she.

"Your Mom said '_David_ and Lizzie.'"

"Yep. David's my name. My friends have called me Gordo since I was little. Brooke called me David, though."

"Oh, who's Brooke?" Heather asked with a sing-songy, teasing inflection.

"She was my girlfriend for a couple weeks."

"Did something happen?"

Gordo thought for a moment. "Yes and no. She's smart and pretty cool and all, but I wasn't ready for that kind of commitment."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, I had to wait for her at her locker between classes, pay for our lunches—I didn't have time for myself anymore. Or Lizzie and Miranda."

"Too possessive, huh? I bet you missed them, as tight as you guys are."

"Uh-huh. I liked the idea of having a girlfriend better than actually having one. And I didn't tell Lizzie and Miranda about Brooke right away. They saw us and thought Brooke was using me."

"Why?"

"Well, Brooke's friends with a popular cheerleader who doesn't like Miranda or Lizzie, and they don't like her. They heard her say something about helping Brooke get ready for a hot date and figured it wasn't me, so they spied on us."

"Lizzie and Miranda spied on you and Brooke?" Heather's eyes got big in astonishment.

"Yeah. It involved disguises—well, one disguise—and spilled Italian food. Big servings, too."

"Whoa! What about this disguise?"

"Just ask Lizzie about Mirando. See how she reacts."

"Miran-DO? Not Miran-DA?"

"Mm-hmm," Gordo said with a secret smile. "I was insulted that they did that, but I knew they did it because they care about me."

By this time it was their turn to order. They decided to wait for their food and drinks near the counter and then get a table.

"Yeah, I think I know what you mean about liking the idea of having a girlfriend better than actually having one," Heather said a little more slowly than usual, as if she were thinking about what she was saying as she spoke.

Gordo found himself watching her think, then noticed he hadn't replied to her. "Oh! Sorry. Um—yeah. I'm listening." He could feel his face turning red. He hoped it wasn't too obvious.

"Oh-kaaay," Heather said, smiling knowingly. "It seems like too much to give up of yourself to take it that seriously. I mean, at our age, we shouldn't be locked in to one person like that. I've got friends who are guys and girls, from stuff we like to do together."

"Good. What kind of stuff?"

"Well, I write for my school paper, I like music, movies, baseball, reading … you know."

"Lizzie writes for our school paper. I guess you knew that."

"I did. I fool around a little with guitar. I know you like old-school music too. I've been listening to the Beatles a lot lately—"

"You too?" Gordo was excited to hear this. "I like a lot of '60s and '70s stuff, and I was heavily into a Rat Pack phase for a while."

"I heard about that. There was a dance with the three of you dancing together, right? The theme was 'Lounging Around' or something, and people dressed like it was Las Vegas in 1960?"

"Greetings, Wing Commander," said a male voice.

Gordo turned towards the voice. "Tudgeman," he said, recognizing the owner of the voice. Larry Tudgeman had just picked up his order in a takeout bag.

"And who's your lovely lady friend?"

"This is Lizzie's cousin Heather from Washington State. Heather, this is Larry Tudgeman," Gordo said, wondering if he'd missed the advance notice of a cosmic shift.

"Pleased to meet you. I can see a family resemblance."

"Thank you, and nice to meet you too," Heather said.

"Sorry to rush off, but my folks are waiting for this," Larry said, holding up his takeout bag. "I hope you enjoy your visit, Fair Maiden. And Wing Commander, I'll see you later." With a wave, he disappeared.

"I don't think I've ever been called 'Fair Maiden,'" Heather said, amused and a little puzzled at the same time.

"Larry's into _Star Trek_, _Star Wars_, Dwarflord, that kind of stuff. Really smart guy. Kind of weird sometimes."

"He seems nice, though. There's a Dwarf Tribe at my school. I've played it a couple times. It's—well, I can see how people could get obsessed with it."

"I know. I did," Gordo said. "Lizzie got it from her grandmother who sends gifts several times a year because she can't remember birthdays. She and Miranda didn't like it, but I joined the Dwarf Tribe at school—Larry was the leader, in fact—and got so obsessed that it affected my grades and everything, until I got my perspective back."

Heather wondered if there was more to the story than Gordo was telling. Their order came up, distracting her from that train of thought. Now all she was worried about was dropping her tray or banging it on the table and spilling something.

They sat in a booth on opposite sides of the table. Gordo ran a hand through his hair and gave a sigh of relief. "We made it!"

Heather laughed. "Yes, we did." Now that the ice was broken, she realized how tense she'd been. The two of them broke into smiles. Gordo liked the way her face lit up when she laughed.

"I guess this is like my parents calling me David when you call me Gordo, but it's kind of funny to hear Mr. McGuire called 'Uncle Sam.'"

"I know. When Lizzie and Matt say 'Uncle George' or 'Aunt Ann,' I have to remind myself—'Oh, yeah, Mom and Dad.'"

"That reminds me. Do you know about Matt entering a contest to be Jet Li's sidekick?"

"Yes, I do." Heather, still smiling, raised her eyebrows. "I've even seen the martial arts movie you made with Matt. I liked it."

"Thanks." Gordo felt his face turning red, and he dipped his head a little, hoping it wasn't noticeable. "Anyway, Matt could have written an essay instead of making a video. He told me his dad—your Uncle Sam—won a free trip to Washington, D.C., in 1976 for writing a Bicentennial essay called, I think, 'America: It's More Than Just Amber Waves of Grain.'"

"No! Really? Now I'm picturing him with the top hat and long white beard and everything. But I better get started on this apple pie _à la mode_ or I'll have to take it with me to Nana and Grandpa Chuck's."

"Lizzie's grandparents?"

"And mine too. They're having us all for dinner. That's why you and I had to go out in the afternoon."

It took some effort, but Gordo turned his attention to his cherry cheesecake. He was having a good time with Heather, as she was with him. Their desserts and beverages were almost as good as the company.

As they talked and ate, Gordo noticed that he felt at ease with Heather. He'd enjoyed being around Brooke as well, but it was different. Heather lived out of state and was visiting, so Gordo wasn't thinking in terms of expectations. He was enjoying being in the moment with someone he wouldn't see every day but hoped to stay in touch with. He liked the idea of Heather being his friend as well as Lizzie's cousin.

Heather was noticing some things too. She appreciated being around a bright guy who was a little different. That's why Miranda liked him, after all. She enjoyed the give and take between them on things that interested both of them. Lizzie had told her that Gordo had had his bar mitzvah recently. Heather had been to a couple of bat mitzvahs, so she was interested in comparing notes with Gordo.about those coming-of-age ceremonies.

They even shared their food, moving their plates toward each other so the other one could reach. As they did so, their hands touched, sending tingles up their arms. Luckily, they had enough self-control not to spill their drinks.

In due time, the talk turned to baseball. Gordo was of two minds about the Arizona Diamondbacks. He felt they had the best pitching money could buy, but the rest of the team was a bunch of banjo hitters and journeymen. Heather, whose hometown was just far enough from Seattle not to be considered a suburb, was excited about the Seattle Mariners. She'd been disappointed when Ken Griffey Jr. ("He's the youngest player ever to hit 400 home runs, Gordo! Do you know what that means?") had been traded, but there was this new guy Ichiro Suzuki. He'd been a star in Japan, and he was going to end up with over 200 hits and maybe lead the Mariners to a World Series. As Heather spoke, Gordo got a very pleasant mental picture of her in a Mariners cap.


	7. Chapter 7

"Oh, I almost forgot. We were going to find out where Hinkley is."

"Right, we were. There's an open computer."

They went to the computer Gordo had spotted. Gordo went to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names website and clicked on "Domestic Names," then on "Search."

Heather looked over Gordo's shoulder at the list of results. "Wow! It has summits, bars, locales, schools, dams, canals …"

"We probably want populated places and post offices, at least to begin with," Gordo said. "There's a Hinkley in San Bernardino County, California, with a post office. Let's see what's on the next page. Hinckley, H-I-N-_C_-K-L-E-Y, in Medina County, Ohio."

"But there's H-I-N-K-L-E-Y Elementary School in Medina County too," Heather noticed. "And other Hinkley stuff in San Bernardino County."

Heather's phone rang; she answered on the third ring. "Hello?"

"Hey, Heather, it's your favorite uncle."

"Hey, Uncle Sam," Heather said, rolling her eyes a little. "Are you on your way?"

"Yep. We'll be there in a couple of minutes. Are you having a good time?"

"Uh-huh. We'll be at the door."

After Heather and Mr. McGuire exchanged goodbyes, Gordo asked, "Have they left?"

"Yes, they have. A couple of minutes, he said." Heather stood up and got her flip-flops all the way on. She'd played with them with her feet as she was sitting there.

"Here, I'll take our trays," Gordo said, letting Heather pick up her Digital Bean logo mug (and lid) with the last of her drink before he cleared the table. "After I dump these, I bet they'll be pulling in as we step out."

He wasn't too far wrong. They didn't have time to say much more than "I had fun" after they stepped outside before the McGuires' copper SUV turned into the parking lot. Gordo opened the door for her and got in on the other side.

When they arrived at the Gordons', Heather asked, "May I walk Gordo to the front door?"

The adults smiled. "Yes, sweetie, you may," Mrs. McGuire said. "Don't take too long. We have to pick everyone up to go to your grandparents'."

"Thanks." This time Heather and Gordo smiled.

As the two young teens walked towards Gordo's house, Gordo noticed a slight breeze in the air. It made Heather's long hair move a little. Gordo thought it was another way that she was pretty. He smiled without realizing it. She noticed and smiled back.

"The wind's blowing your hair," Heather said. "It's cute."

"Y-you too," Gordo stammered. He'd almost said "So are you" but caught himself. He was afraid it would have sounded too suggestive or corny.

Since it was still light out, the front porch light was off, leaving a shadow at the door. It gave a little privacy, to Gordo's relief. They were holding hands when they got to the porch. As they reached up to hug each other, they didn't release their hands. Gordo felt he might lose his courage or jinx something if he did.

"Thanks, um, for this date, Gordo. I had a lot of fun," Heather said. Shyness kicked in, causing her to talk haltingly at first.

"Thank _you_," Gordo said earnestly. "I had a good time too. Lizzie's got a cool cousin."

"You're one of the nicest guys ever, Gordo. I wish we lived closer."

"Me too. Thanks for walking me home." With that, they both moved in for a hug, Heather's hair brushing Gordo's face. She straightened up and shook her hair back. Gordo's face turned towards here, and the next thing they knew, their lips were touching. As they pulled apart, both had breathless, giddy smiles.

"Well, goodbye, I guess."

"Right, yeah, you have to go to your grandparents'."

"I'll see you next time we visit."

"Looking forward to it."

Gordo watched as Heather walked back to the SUV. Before she opened the door, she waved goodbye to him. He waved back, and they turned to their doors.


End file.
